Category: Uncategorized

  • Are 2019’s state primaries on track to be more or less competitive than in recent election cycles?

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    In 2019, Ballotpedia is publishing primary election competitiveness data following each state’s major-party candidate filing deadline. Five states will hold regular statewide elections: Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana will hold elections for state executive offices, and Mississippi, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia will hold elections for state legislative seats. Filing deadlines have passed in every state…

  • In presidential elections since 1900, one state voted for the winning candidate more than 90 percent of the time

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    In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, one state voted for the winning candidate more than 90 percent of the time. And one state did so less than 50 percent of the time.   Ohio’s electoral votes have gone to the winning president 93 percent of the time—in 28 out of 30 general elections—since 1900.…

  • SCOTUS hears oral arguments in challenge to census citizenship question

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    The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in Department of Commerce v. New York, a case challenging the addition of a citizenship question on the U.S. Census. The question asks, “Is this person a citizen of the United States?”   Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross approved the addition of a citizenship question on the…

  • Federal Register weekly update; lowest weekly final rule total since January

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    The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity.   During the week of April 22 to April 26, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,330 pages, bringing…

  • Federal judge blocks Trump administration restrictions on abortion access

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    U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian issued a preliminary injunction to block a new Trump administration rule aimed at keeping Title X fund recipients from engaging in abortion-related activities. Preliminary injunctions keep a new rule from going into effect while a court decides how to resolve legal challenges brought against it. In this case, the U.S.…

  • Since 1920, how many U.S. House races have taken place with only one major party on the general election ballot?

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    Every two-year election cycle, some Democrats or Republicans win U.S. House elections without major-party opposition. Over the past 100 years, 14.4% of regularly scheduled U.S. House general elections had only one major party candidate.   From 1920 to 2018, there were 2,434 U.S. House races without a Republican candidate in the general election compared to…

  • Federal judge to block Trump administration restrictions on abortion access

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    U.S. District Judge Michael McShane said he would issue a preliminary injunction to block a new Trump administration rule aimed at keeping Title X fund recipients from engaging in abortion-related activities, according to Maxine Bernstein at The Oregonian. Bernstein also reported that McShane called the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule a “ham-fisted…

  • National Democratic and Republican party committees report March fundraising figures

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    Campaign committees associated the Democratic and Republican parties reported increased fundraising in March, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission Saturday.   The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) raised $13.0 million in March, an 86% increase over the $7.0 million it raised in February. It spent $11.5 million, including paying off all $5.75…

  • State minimum wage levels vary from $5 to $14 per hour

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    Voters approved two statewide ballot measures in 2018 pertaining to minimum wages. Arkansas Issue 5 was approved, incrementally raising the minimum wage in Arkansas from $8.50 to $11 per hour by 2021. Missouri Proposition B was also approved, increasing the state’s minimum wage each year from $7.85 up to $12 per hour in 2023.  …

  • Federal Register weekly update; 2019 weekly page average continues to climb

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    The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity.   During the week of April 15 to April 19, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,518 pages, bringing…